


Land of Hopes and Dreams

by TheLesbianRonSwanson



Series: NaNoWriMo 2020 [3]
Category: Infinity Train (Cartoon), The Avant-Guards (Comic), The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: But Mostly Just the Gays, College Viney, Everyone's Gay Kimmy it's the 90s, F/F, Human Viney, I'm Just Going to Crossover Everything, Infinity Train AU, Like So Many Gays, NaNoWriMo 2020, This is Just an Excuse to Write a Bunch of Characters I Love All Together, go big or go home, more fandoms to be added - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:15:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27640577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLesbianRonSwanson/pseuds/TheLesbianRonSwanson
Summary: Viney just wanted to spend a relaxing weekend with her girlfriend but instead finds herself transported to a train where nothing makes sense. Now she has to team up with some new friends and adventure through the never-ending, ever-changing train cars in order to make it out and back to her girl.Basically, the epic multi-fandom Infinity Train AU crossover that nobody asked for but I'm writing anyway.
Relationships: Charlie Bravo/Olivia Bates, Emira Blight/Viney
Series: NaNoWriMo 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1998694
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> So I've never really written an AU before and I apparently decided that I was just going to go all out for my first go. Mostly this is just an excuse to write in the Infinity Train world with a bunch of my favorite characters from other things. I'm just going to be throwing things together on the fly here which honestly is pretty on-brand for me during NaNoWriMo. I have no idea where this is going to go but it's been fun to write so far and hopefully it'll be fun to read! Thanks for stopping by!

**Land of Hopes and Dreams**

_ This train carries saints and sinners _

_ This train carries losers and winners _

_ This train carries whores and gamblers _

_ This train carries lost souls _

_ I said this train dreams will not be thwarted _

_ This train faith will be rewarded _

_ This train hear the steel wheels singin' _

_ This train bells of freedom ringin' _

-Bruce Springsteen 

**1\. Prologue**

Viney walked across campus with a spring in her step. The fall air was crisp and just cool enough for her favorite flannel shirts but not yet cold enough to need a jacket, the perfect weather in her opinion. Most importantly, she’d just finished her last midterm and was on her way to her girlfriend’s dorm, ready to spend a long weekend with her. Viney had been looking forward to this weekend with Emira for almost a month now. School had picked up for the both of them over the last few weeks and with the veterinary school on the opposite side of campus for the liberal arts buildings, they really had to make an effort to see each other. They’d made it work, though, a coffee date here, a few minutes making out in a dark corner of the library there, quick lunches in the quad, nights where they’d meet up in one of their dorms and just cuddle and fall asleep together because that’s all they had energy for, but now they had a few days where they didn’t have to worry about anything and could just relax and enjoy being together. Viney couldn’t wait to get started. 

She was almost to Emira’s dorm building when her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and saw that Emira’s twin brother, Edric, was calling her. She grimaced. When Ed called it usually meant he was either in trouble or about to be. She almost let it go to voicemail but knew that he’d just call again. Or call Emira. Either way, she figured she should just get whatever this was over with so she could enjoy her evening with her girlfriend. 

“Hey Ed,” she answered. 

“Hey, Vine Time!” Edric’s voice came through the phone. 

Viney rolled her eyes. “Don’t call me that. What do you want?”

“Is that any way to talk to your probably future brother in law?” Edric teased. Viney could practically hear his smirk through the phone. 

“Sure it is when he happens to be you,” Viney retorted. “For real though, dude, what do you want? I know you didn’t call just to annoy me.”

“Not this time anyway,” Edric shot back. “I was thinking of coming to visit this weekend and surprising Em. I know you’ve got a long weekend and I thought it might be fun. What do you think?”

Viney hesitated. She was torn. On one hand, she knew Emira would be happy to see her brother. He’d gone to college on the opposite side of the country so he could “find himself” and Emira had relished the chance to figure out who she was on her own as well but Viney knew she missed him. On the other hand, that would very much ruin their plans for the weekend. Viney wondered if it was selfish to want to tell Ed no and keep the weekend for just her and Em. Maybe, she thought, but she also knew that Emira had been looking forward to their quality time just as much as she had. 

It was just another instance of Edric wedging his way into their relationship, Viney thought. She didn’t think he did it on purpose and she really did like him most of the time but she couldn’t help but resent him sometimes. She was secure in her relationship with Emira, they were solid and very much in love but when Edric got added into the equation things always felt a little off-balance. 

Viney made up her mind. She was going to tell Edric no this time. She knew if he turned up that it would be a weekend of chaos and she and Emira both really needed the time to relax and recharge. They wouldn’t get that with Edric around. Maybe it was a little selfish, she thought, but maybe that was okay. Her and Emira’s relationship was important and didn’t deserve to be pushed aside just because Edric had a whim.

“Hey, Ed, actually I think-” Viney cut herself off. She’d stopped walking all of a sudden when she saw something she’d never seen before. There, right off the path to Emira’s dorm, was a small train station. She was sure it hadn’t been there when she’d stayed over a few nights ago. “Edric, I’m going to have to call you back,” she said and then hung up without waiting for a reply. 

Viney walked towards the train station, curious. Maybe it was a new art installation or something? She thought. There weren’t too many other students out and about but the ones that were didn’t even seem to notice the weirdly placed train station, and if they did, they didn’t react to it. Viney found herself drawn to it like she couldn’t stop walking to it if she tried. When she reached it she climbed up a short set of stairs and as she reached the platform, the world erupted in a bright flash of light and everything went white. 


	2. The Orientation Car

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Viney finds herself on the train and meets Charlie Bravo, another college student who has no idea how she got there...and who happens to have the same number on her hand as Viney.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to meet our second protagonist, Charlie! She's also the main character of my most favorite comic book series of all time, The Avant-Guards. It's very gay and I highly recommend it. Anyway, let's get this ridiculousness back on track (train puns!).

  1. **The Orientation Car**



The next thing Viney knew she was standing in a room with wires and screens  everywhere. On the screens a round sort of robot was talking about trains and numbers. Viney tried to listen but it wasn’t making much sense so she gave up and instead focused on looking around the rest of the space. 

The room was pretty sparse save for the monitors and a door at one end. The only other occupant was another girl about her age with a mane of light brown hair. She was dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, and a track jacket and looked about as confused and disoriented as Viney felt. She didn’t look dangerous though, so Viney decided to introduce herself. 

“Hey,” Viney said. 

The girl turned and noticed her for the first time. “Oh, hey.” She blinked, trying to focus on Viney. “Any idea where we are?”

Viney shook her head. “No, I was hoping you might know.” She gave the girl a friendly smile. “Maybe we can figure it out together. I’m Viney. Viney Forrester.”

The girl laughed. “Viney Forrester, huh? That’s some name.”

Viney rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I know. I’ve heard all the jokes.”

The girl shook her head. “I only laugh because I’m in the same boat.” She held out her hand. “Charlie Bravo.”

Viney laughed and shook her hand. “Yeah, you are. Nice to meet you, Charlie.” When Viney let go of Charlie’s hand she noticed the glowing number on her palm. “You too?” Viney asked, holding up her own hand. 

“Yeah,” Charlie said. She looked at Viney’s hand and then down at her own. “We’ve got the same number, 285. Think that means something?” 

Viney shrugged. “No clue but how about we stick together anyway?”

“Sure. You seem chill and I don’t think you’re going to murder me.”

“Nah, I do my killing before breakfast,” Viney deadpanned. 

Charlie laughed. “Back to the Future 3. Zemeckis. Nice.”

Viney winked and grinned. “Gotta love the classics. So how did you end up here, Charlie Bravo?”

“I don’t know. I was on my way to practice when I saw this train station that I’m pretty sure never existed before. I stopped to check it out and all of a sudden there was a bright flash of light and I was here. How about you?”

“Pretty much the same. I was walking across campus to my girlfriend’s dorm and spotted a weird train station. And yeah, bright light and everything.”

“So we both got here the same way but no idea why,” Charlie said. “Where do you go to school?”

“Santa Cruz,” Viney answered. “For veterinary medicine. You?”

“Georgia O'Keeffe School of the Arts. Filmmaking,” Charlie replied. 

“Awesome. You said you were on your way to practice. For what?”

“Basketball. My school has a team, the Avant-Guards.” Charlie pointed to the logo on her jacket. “We’re actually pretty good,” She said and then her expression changed to one of panic. “Oh man, Liv is going to kill me if I don’t show up!”

Viney raised her eyebrows. “Who’s Liv? Your coach?”

Charlie shook her head. “Our team captain. And also my girlfriend.”

“That seems a bit out of order,” Viney commented. 

“Oh, not even,” Charlie said. “If you ask her it would probably go: entrepreneur, actor, team captain, spelling bee champ, and then Charlie’s girlfriend.”

“Wow, sounds like quite the personality.”

“Yeah, but in the best way,” Charlie said. Then she squinted at something over Viney’s shoulder. “Hey, I think there’s a door over there. Should we go check it out?”

“Better than standing around here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next: The Wild West Car!

**Author's Note:**

> I have this headcanon that even in the canon TOH universe Viney wears flannel shirts all the time. Stay tuned for that Edric conflict to play out more in future chapters. On to the train in the next chapter! Drop me some crazy ideas for train cars in the comments!


End file.
